(Don't Fear) The Reaper
by greatduwangs
Summary: Robin was always meant to be alone. That's just how it's supposed to be. Pre-series


**It's been a while since I've written One Piece. I might actually go back and finish some of my fics I've left in the dust.**

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She suddenly realised she might be alone for the rest of her life. The thought had been on the back of her mind for months, ever since she left her home burning, but she hadn't fully accepted it until then. Saul's words had somehow kept her believing that there were people out there who would be accepting of the devil's child.

The word 'nakama' had rung in her ears at the time. Given her hope when she felt all hope was lost. For one shining moment, she believed she had a chance in this world.

Yet as she hid below deck of a fishing ship, she couldn't believe his words. Someone else had sold her out again - called for the marines while she was collecting firewood for the night. She thought she had found a safe place for once. This one lasted for three weeks before they tossed her aside.

"Scatter out and look for her!" a captain on the port barked. "She can't have gone far!" At least a dozen marine soldiers saluted their superior before running to the few ships that were docked on land.

Robin swallowed, following the soldiers that were approaching the fishing ship with a sprouted eye, and softly edged herself closer into the corner. She had hidden herself in with barrels of bait and hooks. The smell would have made her gag if the thought of being captured wasn't overriding her senses with sheer terror. She crossed her arms and sprouted an eye and an ear on the mast, praying that no one would see them.

Around three soldiers were on the deck, their fingers on the triggers of their guns, poised for attack. Robin knew the sound that the gunfire would make all too well. It didn't frighten her as much anymore.

"Aren't you scared?" a marine asked. His fingers were trembling, his skin a pale ghost-white. He looked more frightened than Robin felt.

The soldier he asked was the complete juxtaposition of him. Cold, unemotional, and still. Almost like a predator readying for the kill. "Why should I be?" the cold man answered. "She's just a kid. What could she do to us?"

"What could she - haven't you heard about her?" the first one exasperated.

"Of course I -"

"She sunk navy warships! When she was only eight years old!" He shivered. "What a terrifying demon."

The third soldier clenched his gun. "What do you expect from one of those Ohara devils?" he spat. "Those monsters were what gave birth to that spawn."

Robin bit down on her lip so hard that she broke through the skin. Her mouth tasted of iron and rage. She had heard it all before - even before the Buster Call, she was called a monster and a demon. It certainly never broke her spirit, especially since she had much bigger issues to worry about.

But when people spoke of Ohara, they spoke of things that had no knowledge of. Assuming that what the government had said was true and never doubting, never once thinking for themselves. They accused the scholars of crimes against humanity when they themselves were the ones who committed genocide in the name of 'justice'. It was sickening. It was vile.

It was painful.

Lost in her bitterness, Robin didn't notice when the three had split up until the creak of the stairs echoed throughout the bottom deck. The shock caused her heart to skip a beat and her powers to disappear into petals. Holding back a sharp breath, she slowly backed further into the corner, praying that the marine would miss her somehow. Loud cluttering noises were approaching; the marine was obviously doing a thorough search. It would be only seconds before he came to the barrels and saw her hiding amongst them.

The footsteps came closer and closer, until finally they had stopped just before her hiding place. Robin could barely hear the wooden moving over the sound of her own heartbeat, which only beat faster when her eyes met with the scared marine from the deck and the menacing barrel of his gun.

The marine cried out, his finger itching on the trigger. "S-surrender, demon!"

He would have sounded pathetic had he not had her life in his hands. As if he knew what she was thinking, he took in a deep breath and composed himself, scowling at her. He couldn't hide the sweat rolling down his forehead though.

"Nico Robin, you are hereby under arrest per the law of the World Government!" He took a step forward and grabbed at Robin's shoulder. "Come quietly and I won't have to hurt you!"

 _No, you won't be the ones hurting me_. Robin knew what would await her if she were ever to be captured. She had picked up on the threats.

In a split-second decision, she bit down on the marine's hand and sprouted several arms on him, breaking his trigger hand. The marine cursed and leapt back shaking both of his arms in pain.

"Why, you - !"

His words were cut off by the crack of his bones as he fell to the floor, unconscious. Robin tried not to look at his body, instead her eyes searched for an escape route. So far it seemed like the only way out was through the stairs. She crept forward to the light that shone throughout the dank ship. Until a dark shadow blocked out the sky from above, stopping her in her tracks.

"Oi, what was that?" one of the other marines called out from above deck. "Did you find the de-"

The cold marine paused part-way down the stairs, switching between staring at his comrade's unconscious state and Robin herself. His confusion was gone as quickly as it came, replaced with a deadly ferocity. Unlike the frightened marine, this one was willing to take her back _dead_.

The sudden bang of the pistol blew Robin's eardrums and the smell of gunpowder filled the ship with an frightfully familiar stench that she recalled all-too-well, her mind flashing through images of a burning landscape. The ship swayed violently. Thanks to that, the bullet had just grazed her arm. She might not be so lucky next time, however – the marine was already aiming again, this time at her head.

Robin's arms sprouted on his own, twisting and pulling at the bones. The marine howled in pain and stumbled back, but he kept his grip on his pistol, firing it off in the hopes it would hurt her again. He missed. Robin took the opportunity to take hold of his legs too.

"Clutch," she whispered. An instant later several cracks reverberated throughout the bottom deck and the marine fell to the floor like his comrade, all of his limbs broken and twisted. It made her ill to look at.

Muffled yelling and gunshots snapped her back to reality as the ship swayed once more. Something heavy had just landed nearby – of course, she recognised the sound of cannon fire when she heard it. She could never forget.

If she stayed under the deck, the ship might sink, and the marines might wake up.

If she left, and risked the chance of being seen – well, she might have a chance.

Robin sprinted up the stairs, leaping over the cold marine on her way. Luckily no one was looking at her ship – instead, the marines' attention was fixated on a large ship firing cannons and bullets at the island. A large black skull and crossbones adorned their flag. Pirates.

"Crap, why'd they have to show up now?" the marine captain swore. "Men! Forget about the Devil's Child for a moment! We need as much help as we can get out here!"

"Yes, sir!"

Her lucky day.

She sprinted back onto the mainland, rushing through the forest without glancing back once. If she could just find a safe spot to hide in for a night, hopefully the marines would assume she had already stowed away on another ship and leave. She remembered seeing a mountain from the village; surely there would be a cave or something there she could use as cover. At least, she hoped so.

She didn't like sleeping outside at night.

Suddenly she was sliding on the forest floor, her foot caught in a root and bent unnaturally. The pain throbbed agonizingly, causing her to cry out as she tried to tug her leg away from the tree.

"Like a beat caught in a trap."

The chilling voice sent shivers down Robin's spine as she froze, glancing behind her. The third marine stepped around her, circling her before he would take the kill. He paused when he reached in front of her, kneeling down to eye-level. Time seemed to stand still for a moment. For some reason this man both terrified and disgusted more than the others had.

His hard glare suddenly softened into a concerned frown. A cool hand reached out to wipe at a tear falling down her cheek.

"Can't you escape?" he asked, nodding towards her ankle.

Robin bit down on her tongue.

The marine made an unhappy sound. "Hey, I'm a friend, okay?" he reassured, tossing his gun to the side. "I can help."

Gunshots were fired off in the distance. Robin jumped.

"M-my ankle's broken…" she whimpered, choking back on her tears. "Please help."

Maybe she misjudged him – this might just be someone willing to help. He must have just said the stuff about Ohara so he wouldn't be found out as a traitor.

The marine grinned, standing up to stare down at her. Robin offered a weak smile back.

"Good."

He stepped on her hands, crushing her under his weight. Robin howled in agony as he began to scrap his leg back and forth, her skin tearing between his foot and the forest floor.

"Now, now – this is what you deserve, isn't it?" he taunted. "A devil such as you is a stain on the West Blue."

Naïve. She was too naïve. And now she would have to pay the price for it.

"We'll finally be rid of you Oharan demons. You people shouldn't have lived in the first place." He spat on the ground next to her. "I'm going to finish the job we started with the Buster Call."

Robin sucked in a sharp breath. "You know about the Buster Call?"

Her voice was shaking with something more than fear.

"Know? I was _there_ ," he said proudly. "I served under Vice Admiral Sakazuki. I personally hit that damn tree a fair number of times – it was cathartic. Watching all those demons burn…"

"S-shut up!" Robin yelled.

"…Of course, _you_ managed to escape. My Vice Admiral was pretty upset when he heard that. Absolute justice isn't absolute when one little spawn lives, hm?" He bent down and picked up the pistol, aiming for her legs. "I've heard the government prefers you alive though. No harm in crippling you now."

He sneered.

"I hope you heard them scream too."

Something inside her snapped. She couldn't take it anymore – for months she had heard nothing but insults and disgusting remarks towards her homeland, but this man infuriated her more than those. Someone who was there, who had s _een_ the atrocities the World Government had done, and _smiled_ about it.

The inferno that engulfed the Tree of Knowledge was roaring in Robin's head, the screams of the people haunted her, the smell of burning flesh followed her where ever she went. All the rage she had pent up for months was boiling over.

" _Clutch_."

But even when she was killing a man, she was quiet and calm.

The marine's lifeless body slumped to the ground, his neck twisted in an unnatural angle and his eyes wide in shock. She felt satisfied.

Robin tugged out of the tree root once more. This time it worked, and she freed herself from the trap. Her ankle and hands still hurt, but at least she was some-what safe for now. She took a few moments to breath, closing her eyes and cradling her hand to her chest.

She threw up.

Not once had she ever killed someone before. She never even c _onsidered_ it. It was something beyond her – she wouldn't prove the rumours right. No matter what the World Government said, she was not a Devil's Child.

Yet, she felt good when the marine died.

Robin tried not to glance at the body as she passed it, afraid that she would feel that glee once more. She broke into a sprint once more, limping on her twisted ankle.

She just proved everyone right.

She was a devil.

Saul was wrong.

There was no one waiting out at sea for her.

Robin is alone.


End file.
